


Unexpected Opinions

by MidnightWolfy



Series: Unexpected [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family Fluff, Galadriel gets a nickname, Gimli is amused, Legolas hates spiders, M/M, Original Character(s), PTSD Legolas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 15:19:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4440917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightWolfy/pseuds/MidnightWolfy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which horses are scary (Gimli agrees) but spiders are cute (Legolas disagrees).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected Opinions

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd again. I would apologize to Lady Galadriel but I'm not really sorry. You'll see.

“Come Miriel, I have a special treat for you today,” Legolas said with a smile as he took the girl’s little hand in his. 

“Where are we going Ada?” Miriel said her loose brown locks flying into her face with the gentle breeze as her adopted father lead her outside. 

“We are going to visit a dear friend of mine. His name is Arod,” Legolas replied reaching down to pull the strands of hair from the young girl’s mouth.

“Is Papa gonna be there too?” Miriel asked. 

“He had business with King Elessar this morning but he promised he would come if the meeting was let out early enough.” Legolas answered happily thinking of his Dwarf. He had been in a much better mood as of late and the elf prince knew that taking in Miriel was a good decision. 

“Ain’t uncle Aragorn the King? Why do people call him Elessar?” She asked.

“Yes that is true, little one. Your uncle Aragorn is Elessar. It was given to him by the Lady Galadriel,” Legolas replied as they neared the stables. Keeping the story short as he navigated the streets. It was not a busy market day but the city was still bustling with many people.

“Gala—Galadriel?” Miriel struggled to pronounce the name, “Isn’t that the Hair Lady?”

“Hair lady?” Legolas asked with a start, the amusement threatening to burst free, “now where did you come up with a thing like that Miriel?”

“Papa says that Gala… drill,” she fumbled through the name again, “gave him her hair when he seen her. Papa likes the Hair Lady.”

“And so she did,” Legolas agreed amusement lacing his voice, “I am rather fond of the Hair lady as well. She gave me my bow which also has a strand of the Lady’s hair in the string.”

“See! She is the Hair Lady!” Miriel proclaimed with giggles. 

Reaching the stables Legolas lead Miriel around to the coral where many of the horses including Arod where let out. He gave a sharp whistle and the stallion trotted over snorting happily. The elf greeted him with low words in his native tongue and patted his regal neck. 

“This, dear heart, is Arod,” Legolas said peering down at his charge who had tensed and stepped back behind her adopted parent’s legs. The elf tilted his and turned to kneel in front of the child, “What is wrong dear one?”

“He’s big and scary!” Miriel said inching back as Arod leaned down to peer around his riders shoulder, sniffing at this new two legger.

“Arod would never hurt you Miriel. He is my friend and he wants to be yours,” The elf said confused. He had never dealt with a fearful child before. Having a hard time trying to imagine being afraid of a horse, he continued, “Come now, he is but a horse.”

“No, I don’t wanna!” 

Legolas silently cursed the stubbornness of Men trying to think of a solution. Imagine a child of his afraid of horses! 

“Oh ho ho! Doth my ears deceive me? Afraid of a horse are we lass?” Gimli’s gruff booming voice came floating to Legolas’s ears like a God send. Miriel squealed with delight and ran to hug the dwarf.

“It seems she shares your opinion of horses, love,” Legolas said stroking Arod’s head murmuring soft reassurances to the steed. 

“Is that so?” Gimli asked glancing down at his daughter with a twinkle of mischief in his dark eyes, “That is okay lass. I can’t stand the great beasts either!”

“Gimli!” Legolas protested, “We need to get her used to Arod at the very least and agreeing with her will not help.”

“Aye, your Ada is right, little jewel. Horses are great horrid beasts that any dwarf would be well to avoid but Arod is a good lad. You should not lump him in with the others.” Gimli said in a bright mood. 

Miriel peered over her Papa’s shoulder to glance at Legolas and Arod. The stallion gave a snort and beat one great hoof against the ground causing the girl to squeak and cringe burying her face back into Gimli’s beard. The elf gave a quick glare to the horse and with a sigh sent him back off the join the other horses. 

“Oh alright, we will try again another time,” Legolas sighed flicking a wayward lock of hair behind his shoulder. 

“No need to pout thusly, my Heart,” Gimli said placing the girl unto the ground, “No need to fuss anymore lass, old Arod is gone now.”

“I’m sorry Ada,” Miriel said before running to give the prince a quick hug before grabbing his hand and tugging him in order to take the dwarves hand with her free one.

“All it well, little one,” Legolas said not able to keep a smile from his face at the picture they made. Perhaps she would take well to a Hobbit pony first he thought.

~~

The little family made their way back to their home, happy silence only being broken by the occasional question and elf song. At Legolas’s insistence they stopped at the gardens for a quick view of the plant growth and to check if all was well there. 

“Hey, what’s that?” Miriel asked poking her little finger towards one plant leaf. As the dwarf and elf both glanced towards their daughter the speck that she had been pointing at jumped from the leaf to land of the very tip of the girl’s finger. With a child’s curiosity Miriel brought the green creature up to her face to peer at it.

“Ah! Miriel that is a spider!” Legolas said hopping up from his crouched position to reach for her, “Don’t play with it. They bite!” 

“But Ada it’s so cute!” Miriel said as the tiny creature blinked and started crawling down her finger into the palm of her hand.

“Let Papa see it now lass,” Gimli said squinting at the tiny thing, “it is but a wee little jumping spider not need to panic, my Heart, it is harmless.”  


“Spiders are not cute or harmless,” Legolas said with no small amount of contempt eyeing the creature as it makes its way from his daughter's palm to the tip of her thumb, “I have dealt with the fell creatures long before now.” 

“It is not the bane that plagues your fair woods, Lad,” Gimli reasoned. 

“It is a cousin which is enough,” The elf grumbled tense, he rolled his shoulders needed to feel the comforting shift of his quiver, skin itching, “Come now Miriel put that nasty thing back where you found it so we can get lunch.”

“Okay Ada,” the girl said ignorant of the tension in her tall father’s shoulders. She said goodbye to her little friend and waited for it to hop back unto a leaf before holding onto both of her fathers’ hands again. 

“Do not be too hurt, my Heart,” Gimli said with a devious smile, “I shall not embarrass you by telling anyone that our daughter is afraid of horses but loves spiders.”


End file.
